1. Field the Invention
The present invention relates to feeding apparatus and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an apparatus which dispenses food pellets unidirectionally over a fixed area on a predetermined feeding schedule.
2. Description of the Related Art
Feeding apparatus utilized to dispense food pellets over a fixed area on a predetermined feeding schedule are typically scatter-type feeders. Such feeders consist of a hopper positioned over a motor-driven scatter plate. The hopper includes a funnel which directs food pellets stored in the hopper directly onto the scatter plate as it rotated circularly by the drive motor. Scatter-type feeders further include a timer circuit which controls the periodic activation of the scatter plate drive motor as well as the delivery of food pellets to the scatter plate as it rotates. In operation, when the time between feeding intervals expires, the timer circuit activates the scatter plate drive motor which, in turn, rotates the scatter plate circularly. Concurrently, food pellet flow from the hopper onto the scatter plate begins. As the food pellets strike the scatter plate, they are accelerated by the rotation of the scatter plate and propelled away from the feeder. Thus, food pellets are spread about the ground or into a body of water so that the particular animal being fed may retrieve the food pellets.
Although scatter type feeders function adequately to spread food pellets about a fixed feeding area, in certain feeding situations they are impractical and difficult to operate. For example, scatter-type feeders are not easily adaptable for use in dispensing food pellets into a body of water. Specifically, scatter-type feeders distribute the food pellets anywhere from 180.degree. to 360.degree. about the hopper. If a scatter-type feeder were merely placed along the shore of a body of water, a large portion of the food pellets would not be propelled into the water but rather only propelled along the shore. Not only is this situation wasteful of food pellets, but also food pellets along the shore will attract unwanted animals such as raccoons, skunks, and opossums. Scatter-type feeders, therefore, must be positioned over the body of water if they are to be used efficiently with a minimum of nuisance animal attraction. Unfortunately, typical installation of scatter-type feeders over bodies of water creates unnecessary logistical problems.
Typical installations include dock mounted feeders, boom mounted feeders, cable mounted feeders, and float mounted feeders. Although the different installation methods reduce or eliminate the scattering of food pellets along the shore, each is difficult to implement and maintain. For dock mounting, a hole must be cut in the dock so that the scatter plate will reside above the water but below the dock. Dock mounting of feeders is undesirable because the feeders occupy valuable dock space, especially, if they are mounted at the end of the dock. Both boom and cable mounted feeders require time intensive installment. Posts must be set into the ground in concrete, and in the case of cable mounting, a cable and pulley system is required to maneuver the feeder from the shore to over the water and back. Finally, when scatter type feeders are floated out in the body of water, maintenance and refilling of the hopper becomes a difficult task. The floated feeder must either be pulled to shore or a boat used to travel to it. In either case, significant time is wasted. Accordingly, scatter-type feeders are impractical for use in delivering food pellets into a body of water.
Additionally, scatter type feeders often fail to impart sufficient force to the food pellets to propel them an adequate distance from the hopper. The above situation especially occurs during the initial starting and stopping of the rotation of the scatter plate. For instance, when the scatter plate begins and stops rotation, the slow speed with which it is travelling provides insufficient force to propel the food pellets away from the hopper. In such a situation, the food pellets, having little applied force, merely accumulate around and underneath the hopper. This is especially true when using battery powered devices with low voltage batteries. Battery powered feeders are commonly used because of the inaccessibility of other sources of power at remote locations on a lake shoreline. As a result, the animals to be fed often cannot reach them or in a worst case scenario, the animals knock over the feeder in an attempt to reach the food pellets.
The present invention, therefore, solves the above problems by providing a food pellet dispensing apparatus powered by low voltage batteries and which is configured to propel the food pellets unidirectionally over a fixed area with sufficient force to ensure that no food pellet accumulation about and underneath the food pellet dispensing apparatus occurs.